Find out how popular the last name Grooms is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Grooms.

Grooms, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Grooms surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grooms in America

Grooms is the 3267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grooms surname appeared 11,045 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Grooms.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grooms to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Grooms

The surname Grooms is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "groma" or "groom," meaning a servant or attendant, particularly one who tended to horses. This occupational surname emerged in the 13th century and was initially given to those employed as grooms or stable workers.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire, where many early records of the surname can be found. Variations in spelling include Grome, Groome, and Grome, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames in medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which mentions a John le Grom. The Grooms surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, indicating its presence in the region during that period.

Notably, the name is found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Robert le Grom in Gloucestershire. This entry provides evidence of the surname's antiquity and its connection to the groom occupation.

Among notable individuals bearing the surname Grooms throughout history are:

1. Thomas Grooms (1600-1680), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Steyning during the 17th century.
2. John Grooms (1670-1735), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, England, who funded the construction of several almshouses and a school.
3. William Grooms (1756-1834), an English engraver and printmaker known for his landscape etchings and engravings of historic buildings.
4. James Grooms (1795-1868), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Virginia from 1835 to 1841.
5. Sarah Grooms (1847-1905), a British social reformer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education.

While the surname Grooms originated from an occupational background, it has since been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, artists, politicians, and social reformers, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those bearing this historic English name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grooms

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Grooms.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Grooms was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Grooms has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Grooms was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Grooms, please contact us.

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